MAN WHO STOLE APPLE JUICE AND MUFFIN FROM HONESTY SHOP TOLD TO PAY £10

A Shanklin man has been sentenced for stealing apple juice, a muffin and a sausage roll from an honesty shop in Havenstreet last month. Alex Cooper, 26, of Oaklyn Gardens, admitted theft from a shop, possession of a controlled drug of Class A and failing to comply with the requirements of a community order when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court earlier this week. Crown Prosecutor Liz Miller told the court that on the evening of 9th July. at around 23:30, the proprietor of The Little Cow Shed heard a loud thudding noise coming from the honesty shop. Having decided to go and investigate the matter, the shop owner saw a man throwing foodstuffs into the boot of a car, before then making off. Upon reviewing the CCTV footage, Cooper was seen leaving with 3 cartons of apple juice, a muffin and a sausage roll. Another male – also seen on CCTV – has already appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court. Then, on 6th June, whilst in St Helens, cocaine was found in Cooper’s wallet. This led to a charge, which Cooper pleaded guilty to on Tuesday. The 26-year-old also admitted failing to comply with the requirements of a community order which he was handed back in October 2022. The court heard how, to date, Cooper has attended 24 of the 96 appointments offered to him. Defending Cooper, Michael McGoldrick told the court that the theft from the Little Cow Shed was ‘low value’ and that Cooper was hungry but didn’t have money to pay for the goods. Magistrates handed Cooper a further 40 hours of unpaid work to his existing community order. He was ordered to pay compensation to The Little Cow Shed of £10 and was fined £120 for the offence of possession of cocaine. He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and £60 costs to probation.